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Scott’s Top 5 – Home Improvement Books

If you’re a homeowner it’s important that you know the basics of home improvement. No, you don’t need to know how to DIY everything, but you do need to know how your house functions and how to take care of its most basic needs. Remember, your house is the most expensive thing you’ll ever own, so you want to know how to take care of it. Whether you’re new to home ownership, or you’re a seasoned pro, put these home improvement books at the top of your list!

100 Things Every Homeowner Must Know (Editors at the Family Handyman, 2015) – This book is a #1 bestseller for a good reason. First published in 1973, this most recent edition is full of information that will help you not just fix simple problems, but prepare you for unexpected disasters, make your home more efficient, save you money, and get more enjoyment out of your home.

How Your House Works: A Visual Guide to Understanding and Maintaining Your Home (Charlie Wing, 2012) – The fist step in taking care of your home is understanding how it functions. If you’re a new homeowner, or you’ve just remained ignorant about what’s going on behind the walls, consider picking up this illustrated guide. It will give you a great understanding of things like electrical systems, plumbing, HVAC and major appliances. Even if you never intend to pick up a tool and tackle a project yourself, it will help you to understand the issues so you can ask the right questions and hire the right professional when problems occur.

The Holmes Manual (Mike Holmes, 2014) – Here’s a guy who knows a thing or two about what makes a house tick. Mike’s emphasis is on recognizing the signs that something could be wrong, and what to do about them. Keep in mind, he is not encouraging of DIY fixes, but rather hiring the right people and using the right materials. This book covers all the major areas of a home and what you should be on the lookout for.

How To Add Value To Your Home (Scott McGillivray, 2014) – This is by far the best home improvement book you could ever buy. (Shameless plug alert!) In all seriousness, where my book differs from the others is that I don’t just talk about how to make repairs and upgrades, but rather what repairs and upgrades will make the most impact on the value of your home. So if you want to get the maximum return on investment, and make real money from your home, I highly recommend you pick this one up. If I didn’t believe it was the best, I wouldn’t have written it!

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